The Last Year
by WigglyWednesday
Summary: This story will include: decisions about the future, midnight quidditch games, pregnancy, letters, muggle tattoos, nostalgia, makeovers, loneliness, dance parties in class, slight narcissism, parental pressure, giggling in the AM, chocolate, picnics on the grounds, making stupide decisions, stargazing, pillow fights, and making even more stupid decisions. Since most teenagers do.
1. Future Planning

**Disclaimer:** J.K.R Is the genius, not I. In clear text: I own nothing! Well except presumably my own characters I suppose…

 **Future Planning**

 **10 September 2017**

 **Marla Valiéere**

 **"** **She was beautiful, for her ability to make other**

 **people smile, even if she was sad. No, she wasn't**

 **beautiful for something as temporary as her looks.**

 **She was beautiful, deep down to her soul."**

 **\- F. Scott Fitzgerald**

The first week always passed quickly. It was like a rule. The first evening back was worst of all, it was a whirlwind of impressions. First the welcome feast in the great hall and then the real welcome feast which location varied through the years, sometimes in an empty class room, sometimes in the room of requirement and every once in a while in the kitchens. Some people complained about the shifting location, why not have it in the room of requirement every year (since there was no risk of being discovered)? This question was always answered the same way (by the true believers) every year. What was the point of a party without a little excitement? Now, Marla wasn't a true believer. But she had to admit that the variation in reception was an interesting quirk to this kind of other ways predictable parties.

This year the party had been held in a large lecture hall on the third floor. A silencing charm had been but on the door and the corridor outside. Everything out there was dead silence, on the inside pandemonium ruled. A huge muggle disco-ball was levitated in the middle of the room, casting patches of silvery light around the otherwise dark room. Bodies where packed tight together on the dace floor, in a manner which would not be appreciate by the teachers. Around the edges students mingled more casually, alway with a drink in hand. The drinks where of course provided by the excellent bar at the far end of the room. This parties where however, despite the different locations, fairly predictable. Loud music providing splitting headache, far to much alcohol and you almost always kissed someone you really shouldn't kiss. That last part where luckily something Marla had managed to avoid this year.

So despite the excitement of the first day Marla strongly preferred the second. As had been tradition ever since their forth year Marla and her closest friends assembled one of their dorm rooms to catch up, drink something and play muggle board games. This year Marla's dorm room had been the chosen location, which did mean the difficulty of sneaking their male friends up to their dorm. But once you knew the trick it was quite simple, if perhaps a little uncomfortable for the boys. In any case at seven pm the second day they where all assembled in Marla and Angelica's dorm. Except Marla and Angelica the lucky invited where Eden, Amadeus, Cornelia and Dorian. Cornelia, whom had gotten O's at her transfiguration exams since first year, had transfigured one of the beds to a dining table with a matchin set of chairs.

Marla had poured everyone a glass of sparkling rosé, Angelica placed a plate of her homemade french chocolate tart on the table and Amadeus waved with a quite used pack of 'Cards Against Humanity'. This was definitely preferable compared to the party the day before. They sat in the dorm for several hours, catching up and laughing. The majority of the party goers first departed when Marla and Angelica's roommates returned from various locations. By then the clock was past two am.

The rest of the week had been continuing in a more relaxed manor. Non of the professors felt particularly cruel the frist week of term, but it was their seventh year so Marla didn't expect it to continue for very long. It was now the ninth of September, a Saturday which meant sleepy day. It was almost ten a clock and Marla laid on top of the covers in Angelicas four poster bed whit a glas of orange juice and turned the pages in Witch Weekly. Angelica sat cross legged beside her and moisturized her face with some ridiculously expensive product from Sunday Riley.

"Are you stressed over the charms assignment?" Angelica asket making a face while rubbing cream into her cheeks. Marla considered it for a moment, taking a sip of orange juice.

"Nah, I can't really say I am. I should probably be tough, considering I have just barely started. Are you stressed? You are far better then me at charms, so if you are stressed I should really reconsider!" Marla laughed and took another sip of orange juice.

"Well, I can't say I'm stressed. Not really! It's just this feeling of everything dawning on me, you know? That this really is our last year. It still feels kind of surreal!" Angelica said as she took the orange juice from Marla. "What are you still doing here by the way?"

"Um, last I checked I lived here! But if you are throwing me out I suppose I have to find a new place to live, perhaps I will ask the Bloody Baron if he vants to share a cosy cell with me!" Marla said as she rolled her eyes.

"I didn't mean that way! Don't you have your career meeting with professor Flitwick in like ten minutes? You told him you rater have it today then on Monday, which I assume got something to do with a date." Angelica laughed. Marla's eyes grew wide.

"Oh, bloody hell! I so don't need this right know!" Marla threw herself of the bed, hysterically spinning around. "Do you think professor Flitwick care if I wear muggle clothes? My favorite uniform parts is in the wash! I only have the ugly skirt and that blouse I haven't used since third year."

"I'm sure it's fine! It's the weekend after all! And if you say that you forgot about the time I'm sure you'll be fine!" Angelica said even as she returned to her skin care routine.

Marla quickly changed out of her pyjamas and dragged on a pale blue knitted sweatshirt her mother had been wearing in the eighties, before scanning the room for some pants. Nothing even remotely similar to a pair of pants could be seen. Marla opened her trunk and started to dig trough it. Finally she found her sisters "going-back-to-Hogwarts" present, a pair of Acne jeans. Under normal circumstances Marla would consider them way to expensive for everyday wear, but at the moment they really where a savior in disguise. Quickly she dragged them on as well and started to franticly looking for a hair tie. No, luck there! Finally she found a black hairband and thought that it would have to do. She turned to the door and quickly checked herself in the mirror. Her socks where slightly mismatched (different shades of grey), she had stolen Angelica's slightly to small dress shoes and the state of her light blond hair was questionable but the hairband sort of helped. Well, there wasn't much else that could be done.

"Alright, bye! See you later!" She screamed to Angelica as she rushed out the door and through the Ravenclaw common room.

Exactly four minutes later she stood panting outside professor Flitwick's office. She took a deep breath before she kocked on the door. The door was quickly opened to reveal a very small wizard, with a beard whitening by the minute.

"Ah, Miss Valiéere! I just started to wonder whether or not you had forgotten about our appointment." The wizard said and raised his eyebrows, Marla almost thought they would disappear into his fluffy hair.

"Of course not professor Flitwick" Marla said and followed Flitwick into his office. He gestured for her to sit down infront of his large desk, filled with quills, books and bottles, as he want to sit down on the other side (atop a couple of books).

"So, Miss Valiéere! Do you remember what we talked about during your fifth year career meeting?" Professor Flitwick said as he examined a paper infront of him.

"Yes, I said that I wanted to be a healer." Marla hesitated a moment, before she continued. "I was very idealistic as a fifth year."

"So, you don't want to be a healer anymore?" Flitwick questioned, frowning slightly. Marla could feel her stomach twitch, she didn't know what to say. One part of her didn't want to give up her childhood dream, not when she had been holding on to it for so long. But still, she didn't know if it was what she wanted to do anymore.

"I… I honestly don't know. I have always wanted to be a healer, but lately I have wondered if it really suits me all that well. I still think healers are amazing in what they do, I just don't know if it's what I'm meant to do." Marla said slowly, almost hesitant.

"Well, I wont try to talk you out of it, but do you know what you want to do then?" Professor Flitwick asked, looking at her over the top of his hands. Marla just shrugged. "Seeing which subjects ju study, you have changed your mind about healing for quite sometime. At least since last year?"

"By then I started getting this feeling that I wasn't pressuring healing for myself anymore. So I just changed to the classes I really wanted to read. But I can't say I have a plan." Marla said and tugged on her sleeve.

"I can understand that. According to this chart you are reading Advanced Arithmancy Studies, Ancient Studies, Herbology, Charms, Muggle art and Astronomy. Which actually means that you are reading quite a wide variety of subjects, so you do have a lot of opportunities!" Flitwick said as he started going trough the brochures in front of him. "You see, I think you are a smart girl and you are going to figure something out. We will have another meeting in about a month, but meanwhile look through this brochures!"

Marla looked down at the four brochures Flitwick had handed to her as she walked out of his office. The first one was grey with thick white letters spelling out 'Do you have a talent for Curse Breaking'. The title almost made Marla roll her eyes. No, just no. She hadn't even cared for Defense Against Dark Arts last year, much less this year. The second brochure was light blue and shimmering and said: 'Are you of Maternity Healer quality'. Marla rounded a corner and continued up a flight of stairs, considering the shimmering brochure. It wasn't quite as ridicules as the thought of her being a Curse Breaker, but it sill didn't sound as something she wanted to do.

Continuing up another flight of stairs Marla realized that she was almost back at the Ravenclaw tower. Hurring to the door she managed to slip in behind a group of fifth years. She glanced down at the third brochure as she made her way to the dorm, it seemed mor professional then the previous brochures. It was white with cursive black letters spelling 'The Academic Path'. Admittedly that sounded quite interesting. Marla, pushed open the door to her dorm to find that Angelica hadn't moved two centimeters. She had exchanged the glas of orange juice to a cup of tea, and she had picked up her copy of the Great Gatsby.

"Well, you seem content with life!" Marla said and jumped down beside Angelica, causing her to almost spill some of the tea.

"Marla! Be careful, dear Merlin!" Angelica sat up and took a sip from the tea. "So how did it go? Did you tell him about giving up healing? What did he say?"

"Whoa, take it easy! Yes, I told him! He was all like, 'you're a smart girl, just take this brochures and you'll figure something out'. Then he gave me this brochures." Marla threw Angelica the brochures. Angelica managed to catch a light yellow one (the only one Marla hadn't been able to read on the way back) and started reading.

"Isn't this sort of interesting? It sounds a bit like you." Angelica said flipped it over to read the backside.

"I didn't have time to read that one! What does it say?" Marla, leaned over and tried to read over Angelicas shoulder.

"Take it easy! It says: 'Are you a practicer of fine art', and on the inside it specifies saying muggle art and that they have connections to several prestigious muggle art schools." Angelica continued reading. "It started as a group of muggleborn students whom wanted to attend art school, and they also wanted to give other wizards and witches the opportunity."

At this point Marla practically ripped the brochure out of Angelicas and causing the other girl to lose the grip of her tea mug. The mug flew through the air, Marla fell backwards of the bed and Angelica shrieked loudly. Then the tea mug landed in the middle of the bed splashing tea all over the place. Marla carefully peaked up from the floor, Angelica sat in the middle of the bed positively drenched. Their eyes meet a short second before both of them broke down laughing. They laughed so hard Marla felt like she needed to chip for breath, and her stomach hurt. Taking a deep breath Marla finally made an attempt at speaking.

"Sorry, I got a bit over exited! Let me fix that." Marla said as she tried to control her giggling and brought out her wand. With a flick of her wrist the tea dried up and evaporated, leaving behind an empty tea cup. Angelica on other hand just shook her head.

"Don't worry about that now. Do you want to go for a walk? I need to return a book to the library and I just really need some fresh air." Angelica asked picking up the book in question from the floor.

"Yeah sure, why not!" Marla said as she grabbed the light yellow brochure and proceeded to followed Angelica out the room.

The girls walked side by side, as they talked about the little non-important things of life. The non-important, and still so extremely vital things. About boys, sunshine, picnics, and getaways. When they reached the library it was practically empty. Angelica handed the long nosed librarian her book and Marla turned to leave.

"Wait, I want to see if I can find a book on autumn herbs. They are good for colds." Angelica said and gestured to a number of bookshelf close to one of the large windows.

The light fell slightly from above, reviling small particles of dust in the air. It was a beautiful, golden and sort of crisp light. They reached the last bookshelf on the right, Angelica had dragged her finger along the edge of the shelf. Marla leaned against the bookshelf on the other side and watch while Angelica tried to reach a book just a bit to high up. The book wobbled and finally fell down. On the wrong side of the shelf. A loud 'uff' could be heard from the other side. Angelica panicked turned around and stared at Marla with wide eyes. Marla tried to keep herself from laughing, she really did. But she had to admit that this kind of situation was quite typical when it came to Angelica.

Before either of them could do anything someone stepped around the corner of the bookshelf, this someone turned out to be Samuel Avery. Samuel Avery was quite a hart throb. Some people claimed that he resembled his father as a young man, with his hight, his curly chocolate brown hair and thick eyebrows. But, temperamentally he was nothing like his father. Samuel where a Ravenclaw for starters, his father had been in Slytherin. Samuel also had the habit of tutoring first years instead of looking them in the dungeons, which was preferable. Tutoring them, not the dungeon part. Now he casually held up a herbology book.

"I think you might have dropped this. Or perhaps you intended to use it as a weapon?" He smiled and raised his eyebrows questioningly towards Angelica.

"Oh, Merlin I'm so sorry Samuel! I really didn't mean to!" Angelica said and held out a hand to take the book back. Marla found the whole situation rather amusing. She was used to saving Angelica from awkward situations, but honestly, this was rather comical.

"No worries, I'm quite alright. I however propose a deal." Samuel said as he examined the book closer. Angelica looked just a tiny bit confused. Marla seriously wanted to laugh, and tell their Angelica just how profoundly innocent she was.

"And what kind of deal do you propose?" Angelica wondered as she studied Samuels face. Marla made a mental correction, perhaps Angelica wasn't all that blind after all.

"In a week it's the first Hogsmead weekend this year, and I wondered if you wanted to go with me? In return I will of course give you your book back." The question was thrown out quite casually, but Marla could see that he was nervous.

"I would love to! But right now, I would like to have my book back please." Angelica put her hand out again and this time Samuel handed her the book.

"Alright then, see you next Saturday at breakfast." He said, smiling broadly. Angelica smiled back and nodded, before tuggin at Marla's sleeve.

They where out of the library and some corridors away when Angelica gripped Marla's wrist and stood still for a moment. Then Angelica sighed before sinking down on the cold floor and leaning against the stone wall. Marla cautiously sat down beside her, this because she was still wearing does way to expensive Acne jeans. And she might be a good friend, but there was a line to be drawn at these jeans.

"I, so need a psychologist! How come you wizards don't have any?" Angelica said leaning her head against her knees.

At this Marla could do nothing but laugh.

But deep down, her stomach felt hollow.

 **Authors Note:** I'm aware that this chapter was slightly boring, but I promise it gets more exiting very soon. I'm sot of tying to mimic everyday life and not everyday are all that interesting.

 **Please review**

 **/WigglyWednesday**


	2. Born in this world

**Born in this world**

 **13 September 2017**

 **Amadeus Valentine**

 **"** **When dealing with people, let us remember**

 **we are not dealing with creatures of logic.**

 **We are dealing with creatures of emotion,**

 **creatures bristling with prejudice**

 **and motivated by pride and vanity"**

 **\- Dale Carnegie**

September the fourteenth were a grey and rainy Wednesday, everyone wore extra sweaters and knitted socks. This would usually be considered a violation against the dresscode but halfway through the day all the professors had given up with the reprimands. Instead they resorted to allow tea during classes, with the exception of potions and herbology (simply because that would be quite dangerous). Amadeus sat at the far back in the Advanced Arithmancy lecture room, with a knitted grey scarf he had borrowed from Marla around his neck. Since this was an advanced class they had the luxury of studying in a small lecture hall instead of a standard classroom. This meant comfortable chairs, something Amadeus and Marla currently took full advantage of. While Marla curled up in her chair, Amadeus stretched his legs over her knees.

If professor Stonewall had asked them, they would of course claim that they where studying, and, truthfully they really should be studying. But Amadeus had boy troubles, and so had Marla even though she refused to admit it to him. She had been annoyed since the start of class, Amadeus had studied her as she tugged on her ponytail and frowned. Amadeus wasn't really sure that he should say anything, even though he hadn't seen Marla so preoccupied since the George Thomsson incident in fourth year. Still contemplating he nudged Marla's knee with his foot.

"Marla, darling, are you quite all right? I don't mean to pry, or well, actually I do… But, I do it out of love! Which isn't all that bad! Is it a problem that could be solved with lemonade and pizza in the kitchen or do you need alcohol?" Amadeus asked carefully.

"I'm fine! Honestly!" Marla rolled her eyes and scribbled something in her notepad. "But if the pizza offer remains I might just take you up on it."

"The pizza offer always remains! But now tell me whats wrong, and don't lie!" Amadeus said and nudged Marla's knee again. Seeming slightly exasperated, Marla slamed her notepad back on the desk and pushed away Amadeus feet.

"I can't! Mostly because I don't know myself what the problem is. Or well, I kind of do, but I can't do anything about it. Even if I could, I wouldn't! Because, lets say, that would hurt someone else. Someone I love." Marla said as she rested her chin on her knees. "Honestly, I really don't want to talk about it. I will just ignore it for the time being. What are your troubles my dear friend? I'm not the only one mimicking the weather!"

"Clever. Well, I do kind of have a problem. But my guess is that its even more impossible than your situation. And yeah, I do know that!" Amadeus sighed and stared dramatically out the window.

"Mr. Valentine and miss. Valiéere, would you like to share you seemingly intresseting conversation with the rest of the class?" Professor Stonewall called out, her arms crossed and eyebrows raised. Amadeus straitened and smiled brightly.

"We discuss the impossibility of life, love in particular. Do you have an opinion on the matter, professor Stonewall?" He asked jokingly.

"The only opinion I have on the matter is that it should be discussed outside class!" Stonewall said sternly, then she sighed and threw a glance at her wrist. "Which, luckily for you, is right about now! Alright, everyone! Remember that I want you to write three feet of parchment on todays assignment to next weeks class."

Amadeus where one of the first out the room, practically dragging Marla along. When there was even the slightest shot of gossip, Amadeus wasn't about to let the opportunity slip out of his grasp. He dragged Marla along all the way to the kitchens. As always they where bustling of life and activity, several house elves ran around caring dishes of food.

"Mister Amadeus, Miss Marla! I's there anything you'd like?" A tiny house elf with large ears came up to them smiling brightly.

"Hi, Bobby! Yes, please, we would like a pizza to share and a glas of lemonade each. If it isn't to much trouble of course!" Amadeus asked smiling.

"Of course not, sir! Would you like the ordinary pizza? With mozzarella and arugula?" Bobby's large eyes shone brightly.

"Yes, Bobby! That sounds great, and we would like to eat in the cupboard please. The one with the window and armchairs!" Marla said and smiled brightly at Bobby. The little elf blushed, if you could call it that, and rushed of motioned for them to follow him. Amadeus, contemplated whether or not to tell Marla that the house elf had a crush on her. She probably already knew though.

Bobby left them in the kitchens coziest cupboard. It was still quite small, with shelfs on two of the walls and a small window casting a ray of natural light over the room. Right under the window stood a coffee table and two armchairs in a light dusty green color. Perhaps that was a sign that the cupboard originally had been decorated by Slytherins. Or perhaps someone just thought it was a nice colour. Amadeus threw himself down in one of the armchairs and looked inquiring at Marla. She just sighed and sat down in the other armchair, resting her chin on her knees.

"What do you want me to tell you? That my best friend, don't look so offended, is going out with a boy I like. And I encouraged her to do so, because they would be sweet together." Marla paused and looked down at the floor. "Actually, that is a lie. I'm not particularly found of the boy in question, and I should know better than to lie to you. Especially since you know about the whole Johannes thing."

The Johannes thing was a situation, that had begun the previous spring and lasted all summer. Johannes Amos had been a seventh year the previous semester. While their relationship had started of rocky Marla ended up living with Johannes for the majority of the summer. But now he lived in Bratislava (the capital of Slovakia), and now they hadn't seen each other in over a month. From Amadeus point of view this wasn't an entirely hopeless situation.

"But why are you so miserable? The situation hasen't really changed, right? Oh, thanks Bobby!" Bobby had entered the cupboard carrying a tray with pizza and lemonade. The house elf put the tray down on the coffee table, took a bow and then left the room.

"I don't really know why I'm miserable, me and Johannes still write each other every week. It's just a bit annoying that he is so far away. Honestly, I just think I'm coming down with the flu. My stomach have been upset for days." Marla continued as she took a pice of pizza. But her haunted expression didn't ease.

"While that might be mostly true, I think it's more than that. You look completely exasperated! Like you just found out you aunt died, not like your potential boyfriend lives in another country." Amadeus said as he frowned and took a pizza slice. The silence seemed to grow a bit heavy, something that rarely happened with Marla and Amadeus. Marla put her pizza slice back on the plate and curled up.

"I say it's nothing, because I don't know what it is. It's just that I have this feeling…" Amadeus thought it seemed as she shrunk down in the armchair even more. Becoming tiny and unnoticeable. "Amadeus, sweetheart, I think that I might… That I might be pregnant."

Well. That certainly wasn't what Amadeus had expected. He vaguely remembered that there had been a pregnant girl during his fourth year, but she had graduated before she had her baby. The idea that Marla, who always had been the most levelheaded of his friend, was pregnant was quite hard to wrap his head around. Amadeus knew a lot of girls whom had been through several pregnancy scares, but he had never imagined that it could happened to Marla since she (while incredibly sarcastic) was so mature.

"Actually, I don't think I might be, I know that I am. A couple of days ago I started to get really nauseous and I've been sensitive to smells for weeks. So I did this check up spell, and it was positive. And just like a muggle test it isn't certain, but I tied the spell again this morning and it's still positive." She wrapped her arms around her knees, almost looking at the brink of tears. Amadeus rose from his armchair, went around the coffee table and hugged her tightly.

"What do you need?" Amadeus rested his cheek a top her head, not letting her go. "Do you wan't to talk? Or do you just want to be quiet? I could try to get a hold of Johannes if you like. Have you told him?"

"No, I haven't told anyone actually. Except you." Marla muttered into his shirt. "I know that I'll have tell him, and I'm not really all that worried about it. But I just have to adjust a bit first. I really don't know what to do. There is a few spells, but the wizarding community is over all quite against abortion. So they aren't all that safe. Then there is the option of going to a muggle clinic, but that would mean sneaking out of school and you need check ups during the recovery period. I could keep it, but it scares me, it scares me so much. Not necessarily the having a child part. It's the thing that I need to tell everyone, and I'm really bloody afraid of McGonagall finding out. Flitwick I could manage, but McGonagall scares me half to death. I'm more afraid of telling her than telling my dad and sister."

"That actually sound quite accurate. McGonagall once found me making out with Henry Bloom in a cupboard, and I was afraid she would skin me alive. But she brought me and Henry to her office and gave us biscuits. I don't think you should be afraid of telling her, Minnie is a real softie." Amadeus said hugging Marla even tighter. "But you'll have to tell Angelica. She's your best friend, and she can give you far better advice than I can. All I can say is that I support what ever you do."

"Yeah, I know I'll have to tell her. But, you wanted to say something as well. Didn't you have boy troubles?" Marla asked, still with her head resting against Amadeus shoulder.

"Well, yeah. I do, but you kind of stole my thunder with the pregnancy thing." Amadeus almost laughed.

"Sorry, I just needed to tell someone… But now we'll talk about you! Just because I manage to get pregnant it doesn't mean that you shouldn't pour your heart out every once in a while." Marla actually laughed this time.

They sat there for hours, until the very last rays of sunshine almost had faded away and the heat of cooking food yet again came from the kitchen next door. What started out as pregnancy announcements and boy troubles soon turned in to discussions about memories and nostalgia.

And life went on, as it always did.

But now Amadeus knew how to get the boy, and that was something worth smiling about.

 **A/N: I know, this was a bit of a weird chapter. But I promise that everything will make sense further down the** **line! Please** **review and share!**

 **REVIEW!**


	3. About an Angel

**About an Angel**

 **17 September 2017**

 **Samuel Avery**

 **"** **You have so much light**

 **the plants grow towards you"**

 **\- Unknown**

Sunday the sixteenth of September, dawned to be a fairly beautiful day. Samuel had however woken up with a knot in his stomach. Normally he would have been woken up by the usual commotion in his doorm, the noise of his mates getting up and (since it was a Sunday) complain about their hangovers. But Samuel didn't wake up in his dorm, neither did he wake up in a broom closet on the forth floor. He woke up too peek out of the old lace curtains of his family cottage outside Hogsmead. The house was built in an old english style and quite small, and when Samuel was younger it had belonged to his maternal grandmother. When she died Samuel had inherited it on account of his fathers relatives pureblood agenda.

Honestly, his grandmother hadn't been much better (she had been the one whom insisted that his mother would marry his father) but she also liked old muggle jazz and cooking without magic. Samuels father had protested at first but later on figured that it might be for the best, after all he had gotten his son (and his sons taste for muggle music) out of the manor. In the years that followed, since the inheritance had been declared, Samuel had almost moved in there permanently. Samuel had worked a lot on the house, and since it was located outside the Hogsmead citylimit he had even managed to install a muggle radio.

He still hadn't bothered to move more than an inch. The sheets where made of light blue linnen and soft from years of use. The old alarm clock on the side table predicted the time to be around eight in the morning, but Samuel hadn't trusted the clock for months. He just remained there, as he studied the light shining into the window and smelled the scents of freshly made coffee. A moment Samuel felt confused, and that tiny knot in his stomach tightened, then something clicked and he jumped out of his bed. The floor in the kitchen was made of old varnished planks and usually quite cold. But the temperature of the cottage had raised do to the open fire and the cooking of breakfast. The kitchen was just as halfway modern, halfway rustic as the rest of the cottage. The walls where painted white but the kitchen sofa, table and chairs was old and natural colored. A top the table someone had put a vase of wild flowers.

Samuel stopped in the doorway and scanned the scene in front of him. By the stove stood Angelica, in the progress of making thin pancakes and scrambled eggs. Her hair was the color of golden cinnamon and reached her elbows, she was wearing thick woolen socks and a striped pyjamas shirt. His striped pyjamas shirt. It was about now Samuel realized that he only wore pyjamas pants, no shirt. Before Samuel had the chance to further that thought Angelica spun a round and smiled brightly.

"Morning! There is fresh coffee on the table, the scrambled eggs are almost done and the pancakes will be done in about ten minutes." She said, still smiling brightly.

Now, this was rather amazing. Samuel didn't in the least complain about the basics of the situation, Angelica looked like an angel and it had been ages since he had eaten pancakes. And a track of Anna Of The North was playing in the record player. It was a perfect senario. But, Samuel however couldn't for his life figure out what had happened. The only logical conclusion was that he must have had one to many butterbeers, even though it was practically impossible to get drunk of butterbeer. Maybe he was incredibly sensitive.

"Umm, morning!" Samuel said as he slowly made his way to stand beside Angelica. "Right. With risk of sounding like a bloody idiot, what are we doing here?"

Angelica turned around and just looked at him, still holding the wooden spoon she had used for scrambling the eggs. A moment Samuel where convinced she would hit him with the closest hard object she could find, because you didn't tell a girl that you don't remembered spending the night with them, then her smile widened and she gave him a peck on the cheek.

"I had a suspicion. Here!" She handed him the pan with scrambled eggs and gestured towards the table. "If you sit down and start eating I will tell you everything."

Instinctively Samuel grabbed the pan but he couldn't make himself move just yet. What just happened? Samuel didn't peg Angelica as a bird whom just handed out cheek kisses. Hugs and compliments, yes. She was the kind of incredibly sweet and innocent person that could get away with hugging people she bearly knew. But at the same time Angelica was so incredibly sarcastic that she managed to chock even the most though skinned of students. Anyway, she wouldn't be kissing someone just like that if there hadn't been any previous endeavor. Samuel wished that he remembered that.

"Well, go on! Sit down hand have some coffee, and pour a cup for me while your at it." Angelica laughed, Samuel did as she suggested and poured her a cup of coffee. "I'm not really sure what you remember or not, but you do remember that we had a date in Hogsmead yesterday?"

"Yes, of course! I picked you up in the great hall then we went to the Three Broomsticks and the muggle antiquities shop, and I kissed you." Samuel remembered, blushing, as he handed Angelica her coffee cup.

"Yes, and then you told me about this house since you bought a lamp and a vinyl record inte antique shop, I offered to help you carry and we went here. Then we spent the evening drinking wine and playing scrabble." Angelica paused and flipped the last pancake. "Everything was super cozy, until your father decided to make a house call. He.. He was rather nasty, and you two sort of had a fight, when he left you drank just a bit to much wine. So, I but you to bed and you slept like a baby. If you'r wondering why you don't have a headache I managed to give you some potion before you fell a sleep. I suspect you still feel rather groggy."

She brought the plate of pancakes over to the table and sat down opposite Samuel. He could see that her cheeks where slightly flushed from the warmth of the stove, and her eyes fixed his.

"If you are wondering I slept in the armchair." She smiled again. "And you put on pyjamas by your self. But you refused to put on the shirt, I stole it since I din't have any. Any questions I haven't answered?"

"No, thats about it." Samuel said as he took a bet of his pancake, some parts of the previous day had returned to his memory while Angelica spoke. "Only, one thing! I planned to ask yesterday, but apparently I majorly messed up."

"Go on then!" Angelica coaxed him as he grew silent. She took a pancake and spred a thin layer of strawberry preserve over it, then she looked up and met Samuel's gaze again. Samuel, meanwhile, sweated excessively. This was something he had planed on doing the previous day, if he had done in then he would have been able to explain the situation better. Now Angelica had meet his purist father, which wasn't planned.

"Alright. Do you remember your favourite story? The one you always told everyone in first and second year?" Samuel asked as, before taking a bite of his pancake. The Anna Of The North vinyl changed tracks and a slow song came on.

"Do you remember how many stories I used to tell? I believe the entirety of our year knows my complete family history since the 14th century. I couldn't possibly pick out a single one of them!" Angelica said, laughing a bit at herself.

"I mean the story about the Oxford professors. Well, before they where professors! When they stated university and had known each other for less then two days when he asked her to marry him, and she said yes. Then they where married for the rest of their life and so on. That story!" Samuel looked up from his plate, studying Angelica intently.

"What about that story?" She asked slowly.

Right about then a tiny owl swooped in through the half open window. It was grey and speckled and Samuel faintly recognized is as Marla Valiéere's owl, Captain Marshmallow. This of course meant that Angelica recognized the owl as well, since she and Marla where as tight as the legendary marauders. Angelica fed the owl a pice of her pancake and tided up the letter around the owls leg.

"Gosh, Marla must be so worried! I didn't owl her about not getting back to the castle last night, she probably think that you've murdered me and scattered my ashes in the lake or something." Angelica said as she read the letter. Samuel studied her and could see her expression go from amused to worried, he wondered what had happened to cause Angelica to frown so intently. Finally she looked up and met his gaze, Samuel almost could se the cogs in her brain twisting and turning.

"Right. So I'm going to tell you something, and you'll have to promise to keep quiet about it." She made a pause to study him, Samuel nodded agreeing to the previous statement. "You remember Johannes Amos right? He was on the quidditch team so I expect you do. He is currently living in Bratislava but he's coming to Hogsmead in about an hour, because Marla needs to talk to him. You see, Marla is pregnant. And Johannes is the father if you hadn't figured that out."

The silence lasted a few minutes while Samuel tried to wrap his head around the concept. Marla was one of the coolest girls he knew and he had no doubts about that she would make an amazing mother. But, this sort of thing always seemed impossible to wrap your head around. He didn't have the chance to say anything before Angelica continued.

"Now she's worried about me being murdered and that doesn't really help. She also need to find a suitable place to break the news, she blankly refuse to tell him over butterbeer and water in the Three Broomsticks. She really needs my suport." Angelica paused, sighed and poked at her pancake.

"They can come here." Samuel said spontaneously. He couldn't claim he knew Marla as more than a classmate but whatever to relive the situation seemed to be the only right thing to do. "She can tell him here, that way they can have their privacy and you can still be around for emotional suport."

Angelica looked chocked, but her expression soon turned into a warm smile. She reached over the table and clasped his hands, almost making the vase fall over in the motion.

"Are you sure? It would help immensely, but I wouldn't ask it of you. It's your house!" Angelica's eyes shone brightly and her cheeks flushed pink. Samuel's stomach tied in a knot, she was so beautiful.

"Of course! I wouldn't dream of anything else! If you write Marla an answer I'll plock away the breakfast and do the dishes. And make a pot of tea." Samuel started to rise, in an attempt to collect the plates. But Angelica reached over again and put her hands on his cheeks, they where warm and soft. She smiled, an earth chattering smile according to Samuel, and kissed him. It was a soft kiss, light as the dance of mist fairies, but oh so warm. Then she broke of the kiss and started to look for a quill.

Samuel did the dishes in a rather dazed state. Only when he dropped one of the plates on the floor he snapped out of it. He had kissed girls earlier, he had even had sex. But something with Angelica where different, she seemed so incredibly bright. She shone like a light whatever she did. He reparoed the plate and continued doing the dishes. Samuel only stopped when he felt arms around his waist, he looked over his shoulder seeing Angelica resting her cheek against his back.

"Thank you, thank you so much. I can't begin to explain what this meant to me. Marla is like my sister, and this will help so much." She smiled, yet again, and jumped up on the counter next to the sink. Samuel moved and rested his hands around her neck. He studied her a couple of seconds before he kissed her. It felt just as light and tingly as the last time. Angelica kissed him back for a couple of moments before pulling back slightly. "You should know they will be here in about half an hour!"

"Then we have half an hour." Samuel answered before leaning in for another kiss.

Samuel soon realized that half an hour went by quickly when making out, and Angelica had to quickly put on her turtleneck (not the pyjamas shirt, the one she'd been wearing on the date) and a pair of jeans when the doorbell chimed. Samuel checked that he wasn't way to flustered in the hallway mirror before opening the door. On the doorstep stood Marla and Johannes. Marla's light blonde wavy hair was tide up in a high ponytail and from her ears jingled a pair of large geometrical, metallic earnings. She wore a puffy blouse and dress trousers. Maybe it was because he knew but Samuel noticed that Marla's hand rested protectively on her stomach. Johannes stood smiling beside her, still in oblivion. Samuel remembered him from earlier years. He was a tiny bit shorter than Samuel but a bit bulkier, not in a ridiculous way though. He had long golden curls (Samuel remembered this as a frequent conversation among girls) and a straight nose. He seemingly was into the same kind of muggle fashion as the rest of the wizarding world under the age of thirty, as he wore a pair of jeans and a knitted sweater.

"Sammy! Long time, no see!" Johannes proclaimed jokingly, shaking Samuel's hand. Beside him Marla smiled thankfully and gave Samuel a nod of thankfulness.

"Hannes, Marls, welcome in!" Samuel said ushering them into the tiny drawing room. As the rest of the house this room had new white painted walls but old classic furniture. Samuel gestured for Johannes and Marla to sit down in the light blue velvet sofa, just as Angelica (whom appeared to have brushed her hair) came in and rushed over to hug the guests.

"Marla, I'm so sorry I didn't send an owl!" She said and hugged Marla tightly, before turning to Johannes. "Hannes, I haven't seen you in so long! How are you?"

"I'm just fine, Bratislava is beautiful but I do miss Hogwarts." Johannes said this with a pointed look at Marla, to indicate exactly what he missed about Hogwarts. Then he frowned "But, Marla said she needed to tell me something…?"

That was the moment Samuel went to get the tea. Because despite the fact he was sure everything would work out for the better, Samuel admitted he was a real wuss when it came to confrontation. Probably this stamed from his parents and their relationship, with both the world and each other. But, somehow he still managed to return with the tray just in the right moment for Marla saying:

"Johannes, I'm pregnant."

 **AUTHORS NOTE: Oh, cliff hanger! Sort of, at least. I now that this is still slightly sketchy but it gets better I promise! Now I just have to say that the story about the Oxford professors is a true** **family story story, my personal favourite.**

 **Now my original thought was that this story would be quite in real life time, and I'm already** **one month late. Great. But you might (MIGHT) get a new chapter on Sunday so cross your fingers for that.**

 **Anyway: COMMENT; FAVORITE & SHARE!**


	4. Lovely Leaves

**Lovely Leaves**

 **22 September 2017**

 **Odette Amos**

 **"** **Change your life today.**

 **Don't gamble on the future,**

 **act now, without delay"**

 **\- Simone de Beauvoir**

Odette where annoyed. But, with the week she had lived through this was however quite understandable. It started with her brother visiting, which she didn't really mind. But then he hadn't left. Instead he had started to rent a room in Hogsmead, the explanation Odette had gotten was something about a 'situation'. The 'situation' had been explained by Marla a day later. Now, Odette liked Marla. She rather considered her a friend, mostly since they where equal experts at annoying Johannes. The news that she would become an aunt was however rather surprising. Odette wasn't sure if this counted as the worst or the best of the week though. Going on, Odette had been certain that her week couldn't get any weirder.

But it did. First of her career meeting went to bloody hell. She had actually stated crying, and Odette despised crying. The few ideas she had about the future had been crushed to ashes. This might had been a bit dramatic, but she had missed the last admission day for the apprenticeship at the Profet. Then a fifth year named Derek March had asked her out. And she had laughed at him infront of all his friends. The poor lad had run away crying. Odette felt really bad about that, in her defense it should be known that she thought it had been a joke. Continuing on she had run into Dorian Vale and Cornelia Wood making out behind a tapestry (which was quite irresponsible, and gros) on the fourth floor. This would had been fine if she didn't have to make a group project with them in herbology.

Last but not least had her best friend Eden Dawson offered to colour her hair. Since Eden usually was quite levelheaded Odette had accepted the offer. Now her hair was the colour of spinach or perhaps mold. Odette didn't really blame Eden, but they had still fought a bit about it. As a consequence of this they currently wasn't on speaking terms.

At the moment Odette sat infront of the fire in the Gryffindor common room with her cat Vodka a sleep on her knee. She was dressed in her blue silk pyjamas, stained with green from the hair dye, and her hair swept up in a very messy ponytail. She scowled at the fire.

"Need a marshmallow?" This question came from Freddie Mayne, a seventh year Hufflepuff whom apparently had the password to the Gryffindor common room. He held out a bag of muggle marshmallows to her. He had a cat with him as well, a fluffy grey thing he carried under his arm.

"Yeah, sure!" Odette never said no to muggle sweets. Freddie handed her the bag and sat down beside her. "What's your cat named?"

"This fluffy thing? Her name is Marzipan. What's your named?" Freddie asked and stretched over to grab a marshmallow.

"His name is Vodka." Odette said and got a quite critical glance from Freddie. "What? I got him the same day I drank alcohol for the first time. It seemed logical!"

"Logical indeed." Freddie rolled his eyes and gazed at her again. "May I ask about the hair? Or will you skinn me alive if I do?"

"I might have skinned you if you asked earlier, but you rather managed to bribe me with marshmallows. I let Eden colour it. If you hadn't realized that it didn't turn out very well. As a result Eden and I don't really talk at the moment." Odette sighed and took another marshmallow.

Freddie pushed Marzipan out of his lap and grabbed a marshmallow out of the bag before he sat down right behind Odette and untied her hair tie. Now, Odette was friendly enough. She could easily get cozy with people she bearly knew, giving bearhugs and drinking from the same butterbeer bottle where no brainers. But she usually didn't let boys she just bearly knew sit right behind her, especially not when the boy in question where basically resting his chin on her shoulder.

"I can cut it and colour it back if you like? Or at least another colour than green!" Freddie said as he snatched yet another marshmallow.

"Sorry if I'm not convinced, but have you ever cut anyones hair?" Odette asked, still feeling ever so slightly uncomfortable.

"Well, no. But how could it get any worse?" Freddie smiled, and Odette almost smacked him. It wasn't enough that this semi cute guy, even though he wasn't her type, offered her marshmallows and had a cute cat. Apparently he also had a rather wicked sense of humor. However, he just maybe had a point.

"Alright. But then you better do it quickly, before I change my mind! Which is something I will undoubtedly do tomorrow anyway." Odette pushed Vodka out of her knee and stood up, arms at her side and her pyjamas slightly sliding down her shoulder. "What do you need? A scissor?"

"Yeah, I'll fix all of that. If you manage to find some snacks and figure out the password to prefects bathroom. I'll meet you there in say twenty minutes." Freddie said before yet again leaving the common room with Marzipan under his arm.

This situation didn't really convince Odette that she currently made a particularly smart choice. She however scurried down to the kitchen, and probably traumatizing a group of Ravenclaw third years on her way down. Admittedly she was probably looking worse than the Bloody Baron at the moment, considering that she ran around in blue silk pyjamas, spinach green hair and hippogriff shaped slippers. But that was rather beside the point, Odette managed to get hold of the password and get a whole bunch of sweets from the kitchen. However when she rounded the corner to the corridor where the prefects bathroom were located, Freddie already stood there waiting for her.

"There you are! Oh, chocolate!" Freddie exclaimed and grabbed a chocolate bar from the basket Odette brought from the kitchen.

"Yeah, I got an entire stash!" Odette said as she yanked the chocolate bar out of Freddies grasp and put it back into the basket.

"So are you going to let us in?" Freddie asked with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah." She turned towards the door and handed the basket to Freddie (whom almost dropped it). "The Beatles."

The door swung open to reveal the large bathroom, Odette had been here a couple of times for pampering nights with her friends but admittedly that was a rather rare occurrence. The bathtub where the size of a small swimming pool and the mirrors larger than those in the Winter Palace.

"Whoa, I had no idea this place was so massive!" Freddie spun around, and managed to drop a scissor on the floor in the process.

"I know, it's like a castle all by itself." Odette sat down crosslegged infront of the mirror. "Could please do something about my hair? I really can't stand it!"

"Alright, alright!" Freddie picked up the scissor went to stand right behind her. "But you'll have to close your eyes. If you are going to look at me I'm bound to mess up."

Odette rolled her eyes but complied to Freddie's request. The room was quiet, but Odette heard the scissor snap off strands of hair. It was rather peaceful all in all. She started to float a way, thinking about everything she should be doing. Non of which was getting her hair cut in the prefects bathroom. She should be writing on her transfiguration essay. She should be cleaning her part of the dorm. She really should talk to Eden. And perhaps even more, she should talk to Henry.

"Have you ever read _The Great Gatsby_? The muggle novel?" Freddie asked curiously.

"Um, yeah. Well, sort of, Angelica Saint read it aloud for me and… Me and Marla Valiéere. Why?" Odette had paused just a little before mentioning Marla, that situation still made her endlessly tiered.

"Well, I hope you like that 1920-esque hairstyle." Freddie said rather slowly.

"Are you finished? Can I see?" Odette was just about to sneak a peak but Freddie clasped a hand over her eyes before she had a chance.

"Wait!" Freddie said and Odette could feel the softness of Freddie's hand palm against her temple. "I'm finished, but just incase you don't like it… Please don't kill me! I have two job interviews next week and it would suck if missed them because I was brutally murdered in the prefects bathroom."

"I won't kill you! Just bloody let me see my god damn hair, for Merlin's sake!" Odette burst out, and she felt Freddie's fingers twitch slightly.

"You swear worst than my Russian aunt, and her language use gives me nightmares!" Freddie grumbled but he removed his hand from Odette's eyes, and finally gave her a view of her reflection in the mirror.

Odette had quite similar features to her brother Johannes. The same straight nose, inherited from their mother. The same fair porcelain complexion, which alost seemed translucent and apple red cheeks always on full display in the winters. And the rather delicate features, that seemed slightly out of place thanks to the thick eyebrows the siblings had inherited from their father. Freddie had marvelously enough managed to turn her once green hair back to golden blonde. Not only had her hair regained its original colour, Freddie had cropped it to a very 1920s hairstyle. The golden blonde hair was short now, it reached Odette's cheekbones in soft waves and the bob like style really did remained her of _The Great Gatsby_. Carefully Odette shook her head, the soft waves bounced slightly.

"Yeah, well… I wont kill you." Odette stated, as she yet again carefully shook her hair.

"What do you mean? Do you like it? I mean, I get it's all relative and all that shit. Sorry. But, you don't hate it?" Freddie, whom Odette always had thought radiated confidence, looked almost afraid. As if he was half convinced that Odette would petrify him and leve him for some fifth year prefects to find.

She didn't. Instead she kissed him. He's lips where warm and quivered in surprise before he kissed her back. The kiss was soft and tasted sweet, as of honey or caramel. Odette where vaguely aware that she probably shouldn't be kissing him, but she couldn't for heavens sake remember why. Freddie's hands were on her shoulders, cupping them and pressing her closer against him. Odette felt save and cared for and everything where a complete bliss.

Of course that was the precis moment that the door flung open, and suddenly Odette remembered all too well why she shouldn't be kissing Freddie Mayne.

Henry Bloom stood in the opening. His dark hair slightly ruffled, his shoulders hunched over and his eyes… They were as piercing as always, but now they also held a profound sadness.

Henry Bloom were the reason Odette Amos really shouldn't have kissed Freddie Mayne.

 **Autours Note: REWIEV REWIEV REWIEV!**


End file.
